Method of breaking adhesion of wet clothes to the walls of a rotary extractor



July 13, 1965 R. G. Flacl-lo` 3,194,398

METHOD OF BREAKING ADHESION OF WET CLOTHES TO THE WALLS LOF A ROTARY EXTRACTOR Filed June 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1965 R. G. FEcHo 3,194,398

METHOD OF BREAKING ADHESION OF WET CLOTHES T0 THE WALLS .OF A ROTARY EXTRACTOR Filed June 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /MPU/.SE PEEL omb- 2 M//vurEs EXP/#N055 MPa/555 FEA MINUTE l PW .550.

CYL/NDEf? SPEEB 1f/HRT United States Patent O METHGD F BREAKING ADHESION 0F WET CLOTHES T0 THE WALLS 0F A RTARY EXTRACTOR Rhine G. Fecho, Baroda, Mich., assigner to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 7, 1961, Ser. No. 115,459 2 Claims. (Cl. 210-78) This invention relates to a method of breaking the adhesion of a wet clothes load to the wallsrof a high speed rotary fluid extractor following high speed extraction of fluid in a laundry machine.

In modern day laundry devices, particularly for household use7 certain of these devices operate to remove water from ythe wet clothes load following the washing and rinsing cycles by high speed spinning of a drum or cylinder kso that the Water will be thrown out by centrifugal force.

Many of these extractors operate at extremely high Speeds such as around 500 revolutions per minute. This produces a severe clothes adhesion or plastering problem of the clothes load to the inner periphery of the cylinder, particularly in combination washer-dryers, since in these machines the clothes load automatically goes into a tumble dry period after the iinal extraction or spin period. If the clothes load or any portion thereof does not fall Vaway from the inner surface of the cylinder or drum after the final extraction period, the drying air that passes through the device during the drying cycle will not contact suicient areas of the `load to dry it properly. An even more serious problem, however, is that the adhered portion of the clothes load under the influence of the heated air becomes practically baked to the inner surface of the drum or cylinder and will therefore have to be forcefully pulled free after the drying cycle. Those portions of the clothes load that have to be pulled olf in this manner are practically always in a wet-to-damp condition and frequently are wrinkled so severely that even ironing does not remove these wrinkles.

The present invention successfully solves this problem by providing a method of breaking this adhesion ot the wet clothes load to the inner periphery of the cylinder automatically so that this method is particularly applicable to the automatic laundry machines especially of the lcombination washer-dryer type wherein the entire wash- `lng, rinsing and drying operation is automatically controlled.

One of the features of this invention therefore is to provide an improved method of breaking the adhesion of a wet clothes load or any portion thereof to a high speed rotary water extractor containing this load following high speed extraction of the water.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the embodiment of an apparatus for and switches of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a speed chart for the rotatable cylinder or extractor drum of a washer-dryer combination illus trating one embodiment of the cylinder speeds over timer intervals as controlled by the circuit of FIGURE l according to the schedule of FlGURE 2.

fidhihii Patented .luly 13, i965 ice FIGURE 4 is a modiiication of a portion of FIGURE l including an electrically operated brake actuator.

The embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings are for a customary washer-dryer combination in which washing, rinsing, water extraction and drying with heat applied will take place in the same rotatable cylinder or drum. The cylinder may be rotatable about either a vertical or horizontal axis and the invention here is not dependent upon the type of rotary extractor or upon any particular construction of the machine. A typical washer-dryer combination for home laundry is disclosed in the William F. Scott and Alvin E. Burkall application Serial No. 8,275, led February l2, 1960, now Patent No. 3,086,059, issued March 5, 1963, and assigned to the Same assignee as the present application. As the invention does not depend upon the type of laundry device or of the extractor used only those portions of a device pertinent to the invention, here a washer-dryer combination, are shown.

The wiring diagram .of FIGURE l is a portion of the complete wiring diagram of a combination washer-dryer home appliance. lt includes the controls for the last portions of the washing, rinsing and extracting cycles and thus includes that portion of the cycle used to control the rotation of the cylinder or drum in practicing the method of this invention.

As indicated by the legend in FlGURE l, electric lines itl and 11 are from the complete machine circuit.

etween these lines is connected the timer motor 12. Also across these lines are connected in series a switch 13 and a solenoid 1dor operating a drain valve (not shown). Switch 13 is controlled by a rotatable cam 15. Connected between the lines 1t) and 11 in series is a switch 16 controlled by cam 17 which operates a solenoid 18 for controlling the low speed spinning of the clothes containing cylinder, drum or extractor. Across the lines are connected in series a switch 19 controlled by a cam Ztl and a high speed spin solenoid 21. Another switch 22. controlled by a cam 23 is connected to line 1t? and then by an electric lead 24 to the driving motor 25 for the cylinder 25a of the machine with the other side of the motor being connected to the line 11. The line 10 is also connected to a switch 26 controlled by a cam 27. The switch 26 is in electrical series with the switch 23 whose other side opposite switch 26 is connected to the line 24. Switch 23 is opened and closed by an intermittent cam 29.

The time intervals of the timer schedule of FlGURE 2 and the speed chart of FIGURE 3 are of one minute duration. As can be noted, intervals l-l9 inclusive are omitted as these relate to the washing and rinsing cycles of the combination washer-dryer which form no part of the present invention. In addition, for clarity of illustration the intervals 3) and 3l are expanded in FlG- URES 2 and 3.

As described previously, the timer schedule of FlGURE 2 and the speed chart of FIGURE 3 include the Jdnal operations of the complete wash cycle of the washer-dryer combination. During intervals 21-27 inclusive the timer cam 15 closes switch 13 to energize solenoid 1d to allow water to drain from the machine. During intervals 2?.-27 inclusive cam 17 closes switch 16 to energize the low speed spin solenoid 18 to spin the clothes containing cylinder 25a at low speed. However, this low speed is only maintained for one minute as indicated bythe line 3@ of FlGURE 3 because after interval 22 and during intervals 23e-2.7 inclusive cam Ztl closes switch 19 to operate the high speed spin solenoid 31 to drive the drum 25a at high spin speed as indicated by the line 31 on the speed chart. rThe spinning of the drum 25a at a high spin speed causes the clothes load to be plastered against the inner pe- Y Vtimes per minute.

riphery of the drum.. During intervals 25429 inclusive cam 23 maintains switch 22 vclosed to operate the drive motor continuously.V During intervals'Ztl and 21 before rst the low speedspin and then the high speed spin commence, as explained previously, the motor is rotating the cylinder 25a at low tumble speed which is indicated at 32.. The low speed spin solenoidV 18 and high speedspin solenoid 2l operate clutches in a speed transmission'systern (not shown) and as shown in intervalsZS through 27 inclusive, it is necessary that both of these clutch tcontrol solenoids beV energized inorder to attain high speed spin.

The tumble speed as illustrated in the speed chart is Y Y illustrated embodiments these cyclesof acceleration,speed less than the low spin speed which in turn is less than the high spin speed. Thesevarious speeds can be any desired f speed so long as the tumble speed is slow enoughrsoV that centrifugal force will not hold the clothes loadagainst the i inner surface of the cylinder or drum a but will permit the clothes to fall from they inner surface of the cylinder as it is rotated forrproper washing and drying action. In Y the illustrated embodiments the tumble speed is; shown y2() asv 45 revolutionsper minute, the low spin speed as 125* revolutions per minute and the highspin speed forI the i eilicient extraction of water as 500 revolutions per minute.

vThus the termflow and rhigh. used herein are recognized asy being purely relative terms;

At the beginning of timer interval cam 23 Vopens switch 22` to break the circuitto the drive motor-25.1" At this same time cam 27 closes switch'26 so that operation in the top otthe cylinder more soithan if the acceleration l and deceleration periods were of equal ztimerincrements. y e Thus, ascanbe seenfrom therabove. description of the of the drive motor is controlled by intermittent cam 29 operating switch 28. YAs is shown on the FIGURE k2 I schedule,tswitch26 is maintained closed throughitimery intervalsl 3() and 31 which as explained previouslyare shown expanded inFIGURES -2 and 3 of the drawings f .for clarity of illustration.

Cams 15, 17, 2t), 23 and 27 in the illustrated embodiments are cams normally associated with appliance timers and rotate ,oner complete revolution per total machine cycle as driven through gear reduction means bytimer.

motor l2. Intermittent cam 29 in contrast to the above cams rotates at one revolution per minute ortimerin-V terval and has eight raised sections 33 so that onev rota-z tion of cam 29 closes switch 2S eight times. As theswitch' 26 is closed during intervalsf3tland 31 as previously described the drive motor 251is therefore operated eight The representation of cam 29 and.

line 34. Atthe end of approximately 5 Vto 7 seconds p switch 28 is closed by one of the cam portions 33 and the motor accelerates tothe tumblek speed of 45 revolutions per minute sinceV the solenoids i8 and 21 are deenergized at this time and this is maintained for 3 seconds as indicated by the line 35. vAt* the end of thistime the switch 28 isy again opened so that the motor againV comes to a rest. At` the end of approximately 3 to 5 seconds, for example, thermotor switchZS is again closed by the next cam portion 33 and the speed is again accelerated to ,the tumble speed and this time it istmaintainedfo'r 2 seconds v as indicatedv by the line 36. Again the circuitito the motor is opened so that the'motor Acomes toa rest and shortly;

thereafter the switch 28 is again closed by the next cam portion 33 sothat the motor accelerates to the `tumble vspeed andthis `is maintained for `1 second as indicated- Y by the line 37. During thei'cycles ofj acceleration of .theVV motor from a state of rest to'a given speed, such asA the :70 ycylinder speed, followed by deceleration of the motor'to a state of rest, Vthe drum or cylinder-'due :to its inertia is given a jerk which also jerks or impulses the wet clothes` f load relative to the cylinder. This tends-to break adhered i 'clothes loose from'the inner surface of the drum. In the illustrated 45 revolutions per kminute the lowest available clothes. load maintenance and ydeceleration' Iwith eachicy-cle illustrated j at 38, 39 and 4t) on the speed chart are'of decreasing in-i Q tervals, here illustrated as 3 seconds, 2 secondsand onek second, respectively. This constitutes; aY series ofzcycles.' Y

In'the'illust'ratedembodiments,this series `of three cycles of decreasingV timeareY repeated :throughout intervals 30 .and 31.V At the end of thisse'ries of cyclesrall portions of the wetclothes load. have been `,broken loose from adhesion to the inner surface.; of the] drum so thatthe wet load can .be tumbledwby the rotating drum and heat applied for the dry cycle inthe normal manner astillustrated *byy the line 41 on-k thespeed chart of- FIGURE 3.Y

In addition tothe; relative inertia'refects between the cylinder and clojtheszload becauseof theacceleration and deceleration periods,` thereL are; enough lof these periods"v during intervals 30-and-31'to assure that all portions of the adhering clothes will "stop lwhilevlthese portionsv arein the .topof the. cylinder; thus allowing'nthefullz force .of

jgravity to act on the adhering portionsfto aid in theirsep- ,aration from; the, 'inner periphery of the" cylinder.v The.

different time increments serve further to assure that-all portions of the adhering clothes` loadV `willcome, to rest invention the' methodbyrwhichtthe.adhesion ofithewet clothes load to the walls of the high speed. rotary water r Y extractor is brokenis accomplished bybr'iniging the ex-Q Vtractor substantially to a stop, accelerating the extractor to a desired speed-which in any event is apluralityl of L revolutionsgper minute, againbringingrtheiextractor to a r stop` to complete the rst breakingr cycle of acceleration i and vdeceleration lthen repeating ,theser .cyclesgfor .a series.V

of cycles Betweeneach cycle the drum ,or` extractor is preferably brought 1 substantially` rto ya complete- Vstop although of course this is not-absolutelynecessary as Vaccelwill produce some beneficial effect. Therbreaking torce of course is moreelcient if the extractor: is accelerated from a complete stop aszthen the inertiaV ofv the wetj clothes: load which tends to pull the clothes away frfromw'the rotating t extractor is at its maximum. )g Y Y FIGUREA is a modication'of FIGURE 1 .and includes la. brake l .erating from al very'slow speed `during the-breaking cycle? a the circuitry 4shown inl; l actuatorv solenoid .42-V that operates'a brake (not shown) thatfoperates. when the;V

brake actuator. solenoid 42` isrenergized to instantly brake` l cam'29 is Vnot'forcing-the switch arrnZS to its'l'lower posi-Sy tion against: contact 44 to energigejdrive motor: 25; f. Thus,V `whenever 'during intervals v3l). Land 31 when` ,the drive l motor 25 is deenergized,. the Vfbrake.;'actuator solenoid 1 :'42 iis; energized to cause the@` drum 25a` to tbeinstantly.r braked to the-.rest positiong34 (FIGURE;3).; Thisbrakf Y ingV action intensities the relative :inertia electsbetween.E the clothes loadand the braked cylinder toV assureftlflat the entire load will separate from the innerfperiphery off the drum 25a. Because of the increased effectiveness of the brake limpulse system of `FIGURE 4, there would VVnot have to be yasrmany kimpulses to assurethat theV entirey would break free lofrthejinner peripherypf thedrum-V n l .Y Y Having described rnyinvention-iv as relatedfto the ein bodiments shown inthe :accompanying drawings, Vit;; is` my intention `that the invention g-beV not Vlimited Vbyany- Eof theA detailsrof description,- unless votherwisespecified, l but ratherl befconstrued broadlywithin its spirit and scope as set out in theaccompanying claims.

I claim: 'I

1. 'The'method'of breaking ,the adhesion tot alwet ,i clothes loadV to the walls of a highspeed-rotaryuidexf Y v tractor containing said load following high speed extraction of fluid from said clothes load, comprising: bringing said extractor substantially to a stop subsequent to said high speed extraction; accelerating said extractor to a speed of a plurality of revolutions per minute and substantially less than said high speed; maintaining said speed for a period of a fraction of a minute; again bringing said extractor substantially to a stop to complete the rst breaking cycle of acceleration, speed maintenance and deceleration; and repeating said cycles for a series of cycles in which each succeeding period of said speed maintained is of shorter duration.

2. The method of centrifuging uid from wet fabrics comprising, rotating said cylinder at high centrifuging speeds to extract fluid from said fabrics and to plaster said fabrics against said cylinder, alternately braking and accelerating said cylinder to speeds substantially lower than said high speeds in a series of impulsing cycles of varied duration to abruptly change the angular velocity 20 of said cylinder and generate separational inertia forces acting on said fabrics, and stopping said cylinder at substantially different angular positions at the end of each such cycle to permit gravitational forces to aid in the separation of said fabrics from said cylinder.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,760,639 8/56 Haverstock 210-68 2,867,107 l/59 Brown 6S24 2,875,526 3/59 Engel et al. 68-20 X 2,967,417 1/61 Bochan 68-24 2,975,902 3/61 Pinder 68-12 2,983,129 5/61 Metzger 68--19 X 2,990,706 7/61 Bochan 68-19 X 3,055,203 9/ 62 Toma 68-24 X 3,080,059 3/ 63 Scott et al 210-144 3,100,387 8/ 63 Hubbard et al 68-24 X 3,116,243 12/63 Khan et al. 210-788 FOREGN PATENTS 829,292 3/ 60 Great Britain.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

HARRY B. THORNTON, EUGENE F. BLANCHARD,

Examiners. 

1. THE METHOD OF BREAKING THE ADHESION OF A WET CLOTHES LOAD TO THE WALLS OF A HIGH SPEED ROTARY FLUID EXTRACTOR CONTAINING SAID LOAD FOLLOWING HIGH SPEED EXTRACTION OF FLUID FROM SAID CLOTHES LOAD, COMPRISING: BRINGING SAID EXTRACTOR SUBSTANTIALLY TO A STOP SUBSEQUENT TO SAID HIGH SPEED EXTRACTION; ACCELERATING SAID EXTRACTOR TO A SPEED OF A PLURALITY OF REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE AND SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN SAID HIGH SPEED; MAINTAINING SAID SPEED FOR A PERIOD OF A FRACTION OF A MINUTE; AGAIN BRINGING SAID EXTRACTOR SUBSTANTIALLY TO A STOP TO COMPLETE THE FIRST BREAKING CYCLE OF ACCELERATION, SPEED MAINTENANCE AND DECELERATION; AND REPEATING SAID CYCLES FOR A SERIES OF CYCLES IN WHICH EACH SUCCEEDING PERIOD OF SAID SPEED MAINTAINED IS OF SHORTER DURATION. 